Procurement and Analysis of Specimens in Pulmonary Fibrosis

The etiology of pulmonary fibrosis is unknown. Analyses of blood, genomic DNA, and specimens procured by bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, lung transplantation, clinically-indicated extra-pulmonary biopsies, or post-mortem examination from individuals with this disorder may contribute to our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis. The purpose of this protocol is to procure and analyze blood, genomic DNA, and specimens by bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, lung transplantation, extra-pulmonary biopsies, or post-mortem examination from subjects with pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, blood, genomic DNA, clinically-indicated extra-pulmonary biopsies, as well as bronchoscopy and post-mortem examination specimens may be procured and analyzed from relatives of subjects with hereditary forms of pulmonary fibrosis; blood, genomic DNA, and bronchoscopy specimens may be procured from healthy research volunteers.